Back in August, Microsoft announced a $100 price-cut on its Surface Pro tablet, in a limited-time offer that it made permanent a few weeks later. Today, the company is reducing the price of the Surface Pro yet again, by another $100, in a move that's likely aimed at shifting inventory of the older model.

The new prices now see the Surface Pro range start at $699 for the 64GB model, putting it on par with the newly announced 64GB iPad Air, rising to $999 for the 256GB model.

The Surface Pro 2 went on sale this week, replacing its predecessor with a range of improvements, including a two-stage kickstand and improved battery life. However, the price reductions extend only to the older model, not to its successor, and only in the U.S. and Canada. While the Surface RT will continue to be sold alongside its replacement, the Surface 2, for some time to come, Microsoft has no such long-term plans for the original Surface Pro.

The latest price reductions are intended to run until December 31 2013, but the small print includes the caveat: "limited inventory available".